1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to image formation apparatuses, function extension methods and computer readable storage media having a function extension program stored therein, and particularly to image formation apparatuses, function extension methods, and computer readable storage media having a function extension program stored therein, that are suitable for extending a function that a user is permitted to use in the image formation apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally there exists a multifunction peripheral that reads from a server function restriction information previously set for a user who is authenticated as based on a user ID read from a memory card and stores the information in a working area, and limits in accordance with the information a function available to that user (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-244488, paragraph 0051, for example.).
Such multifunction peripheral facilitates setting a restriction on a function available to each user for a plurality of functions that the multifunction peripheral has. This can prevent the functions of the multifunction peripheral from being used by any user indefinitely.
To prevent improper information leakage for security such a multifunction peripheral as described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-244488 can be used to restrict each employee in transmitting a facsimile to a client other than a client(s) who is/are associated with that employee.
Furthermore, it often happens that an employee A who is away from the office makes a phone call to an employee B who is in the office to ask employee B to transmit a facsimile to a particular client C. In that case if employee A is not restricted in transmitting a facsimile to client C and employee B is so restricted then employee B cannot transmit the facsimile to client C. However, if this is avoided by allowing all employees to transmit facsimiles to all clients without any restriction, such may lead to improper information leakage.
Thus for the multifunction peripheral of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-244488 when an employee who is not restricted in using a particular function (e.g., a function transmitting a facsimile to a particular client) is absent, and there arises a necessity of using that particular function (e.g., transmitting a document via facsimile to that particular client for an emergency) and there is no other employee who is not restricted in using the function, an administrator of the multifunction peripheral must change a setting of the multifunction peripheral temporarily to allow the function to be used before the function is used. Restricting a user other than a particular user in using a particular function thus disadvantageously prevents using the function to allow an operation to proceed smoothly.